As Bears eye Caleb Williams, chasing Patrick Mahomes isn’t only Chiefs lesson to follow originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Caleb Williams has become synonymous with several phrases early in the pre-draft evaluation process.
Generational. Franchise-changer. Special. Rare.
The 2022 Heisman Trophy winner has also been compared to one player repeatedly. That comp has rankled some feathers as the Bears prepare to make a franchise-defining decision by either drafting Williams with the No. 1 overall pick or sticking with Justin Fields.
Patrick Mahomes
The Mahomes comparison understandably draws a wide variety of responses. Some see the USC star’s improvisational ability and off-script playmaking as Mahomes-like and a reason to believe Williams will light the league on fire while ascending to top-five quarterback status shortly after arriving in the NFL.
There are, of course, others who view the Mahomes comp as blasphemy — as a heretical phrase that disrespects one of the two greatest quarterbacks of all time and oversets expectations for Williams.
“No one is saying Caleb is going to come in and automatically be one of the greatest quarterbacks in history,” an NFC scout who sees the Mahomes comp told NBC Sports Chicago. “It took the right situation, coach, mentor, etc., for Mahomes to go from the gunslinger he was at Texas Tech to what you see now. Comps are not about saying player X is going to be player Y. It’s used to add context to the evaluation of certain skills. This player’s ability to do this reminds me of an NFL player’s ability to do the same.
“When you talk about ceiling and projection, does Williams have that ceiling? That would be unfair to put those expectations on him. Because then if he’s great but not transcendent, it’s a failure. He can be a star. He can be special. Whether or not he rises to that level will depend on a lot of things outside his control.”
This naturally brings us to Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs’ overtime…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/bears-eye-caleb-williams-chasing-153252984.html
Author : NBC Sports Chicago
Publish date : 2024-02-15 15:32:52
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